Reference Letter

There is a very small percentage of people on the face of the earth who would have never indulged in an exercise of letter writing. It is virtually impossible for a person to go through his academic and professional life without ever writing a letter. There are several different types of letters that you may need to write, from the very personal letter to a friend, to a cover letter for a job interview. Occasionally though, you may be expected to write a letter for a third party. This generally happens when you need to recommend a person for some thing. Such a letter needs to properly drafted and written to ensure that the person you are recommending is successful at whatever he is trying to achieve. There are many different reasons for which you may need to draft a referral letter, from recommending someone for a job, to giving a character reference, to recommend someone who is trying to adopt a kid. Without a well-written recommendation letter, it is possible that your friend or colleague may not get what he wants.

D you want to learn how to write a letter of reference? There are many important attributes for writing a letter of recommendation that you need to be aware of. Firstly and most importantly a letter such as this should always be concise, clear and correct. Any template will tell you how important it is that you focus on all the different qualities of the person you are recommending. One thing that you need to keep in mind though is that praising someone is not the same as being a sycophant. The longer your association with the person, the more credible your letter will be. In this article we give you templates for three of the main types of reference letter - personal recommendation letter, professional letter of recommendation, and character referral letter.

Personal Reference Letter Template

The most important thing to keep in mind while writing this letter for a friend is to ensure that the letter is genuine. It is easy to get carried away while writing a letter for someone you are close to but remember to be objective. Exaggerated claims can more often than not be caught by people reading the letter, so avoid the same. As someone who knows the person, you will be aware of what use the letter will be put to, therefore you can highlight those skills that would be essential to the job at hand. Any sample will tell you how important it is to focus on the good qualities while avoiding reference to flaws.

Your Name Your Address Date: Name of Addressee Name of Organization Address Salutations/Greetings Dear Mr./Ms As with any letter that is being written to someone who does not know you, the letter will start with an introduction to the person writing the letter. Next it is important to explain how and for what period of time you have known the person you are recommending. This is very important while writing a personal letter of recommendation. In the second paragraph, as objectively as possible, analyze those qualifications and attributes of the person you are writing the letter for, which are important for the job at hand. If you are writing a letter for employment, and if you have ever worked with the person concerned in a professional capacity, then focus on that. If the letter serves as a reference letter for adoption, then concentrate on those qualities that will make the person a good parent. Always end the letter on a positive note and provide the addressee with your contact details for any sort of clarification. Valediction Yours sincerely, (Signature) Your Name

Professional Recommendation Letter Template

Next let us take a look at a professional recommendation letter. Unlike a personal letter of recommendation, a business letter is much more formal and therefore, more precise and to the point. As a colleague or a formal employer, you should have no problem listing out the professional capabilities of the person you are referring. While drafting a letter for employment, it is important that you are well-aware of his proficiency in different areas of work. Given below is a business letter of recommendation template that will help you understand the format better.

Your Name Your Designation Your Address Date: Sub: Salutation/Greetings Dear Ms./Mr. (addressee), or To whom it may concern As mentioned in the earlier template, the first paragraph will always serve as an introduction. It is important that you mention how you know the person and how long the two of you have worked together. It may also be a good idea to mention that since you have worked with the person being recommended it makes you a good judge of his abilities at work. The difference between personal letters and professional letter of recommendation is that the latter is more authoritative in its tone. The second paragraph will always serve as a description of those qualities and attributes that make the person being recommended perfect for the job at hand. Try and match his skills and attributes with the job profile. This will have a very good impression on the person reading the letter. The third paragraph should ideally summarize the letter and start with the phrase, I highly recommend. Also ensure that you give your contact details for any verification. Valediction/Goodbye Yours sincerely, (Your name)

Character Recommendation Letter Template

A character reference letter can be written for a wide variety of reasons, from employment to further education. At the core of a character letter of recommendation is the necessity to harp on those character traits of a person that make him appropriate for the task at hand. Any sample will tell you that like a personal letter, it should be ideally written by someone who knows you at a personal level. The things you need to focus on are qualities like honesty, integrity, and trust. Given below is a template that will elucidate to you how to write character letter of recommendation.

Your Name Your Designation Your Address Date: Sub: Salutation/Greetings Dear Ms./Mr. (addressee), or To whom it may concern First and foremost with any such letter, introduce yourself and explain how you know the person whom you are recommending. This is extremely important where a character reference letter is concerned as the longer your association with a person, the more credible the letter will seem. In the next paragraph, enlist all those character qualities that make her a great person to be around and trustworthy person for a job at hand. Do not exaggerate as the claims will seem fake. Be genuine and the letter will definitely have the desired effect. Always end the letter with your contact details so that the addressee can contact you for any clarification. Valediction/Goodbye Yours sincerely, (Your name)

Writing reference letters is not a difficult task. It just needs you to be absolutely certain about what you want to say about the person you are recommending. Before sitting down to draft the letter, make a list of those qualities that make the person suitable for the job at hand. This is very important as this will ensure that you do not miss out any of the important attributes that need to mentioned. Writing such a letter needs you to deliberate properly and have a clear opinion of the person you are recommending. You also need to be aware of what is required of you. Just keep these things in mind and refer to the required format, and writing the letter will not seem like a task at all.